MangaDCU:Gotham Ninja Sketch 12

more designs from the Battle for the Cowl storyline!
left to right:

Top- Azrael(Order of St.Dumas, Batman, Azbats), Huntress, Batgirl
Bottom- Robin(as Batman), Red Talon, and Reaper


Azrael (Batman): Junpei Tanima

The Red Hood took on three members of prominent assassin orders to begin the start of his own new clan to rival the newly formed Batclan. Azrael came from the religious Order of St. Dumas. This particular order developed a training regimen, referred to as The System, to traumatize young initiates to the point of forcing them to develop dissociative identity disorder. this allowed for the creation of an alter that the victim was unaware of which could then be trained to harness its extreme self preservation protocols into an unstoppable killing force. After working with the Red Hood's team for a while, he and his team members began to see there were different ways to go about being a shinobi. when Batman delivered their sensei to Arkham Island, and they had no direction, he offered them membership in the Batclan to help them find a new way. As a member of the Batclan, Azrael had a hard time fighting against his extreme programming, and when an opportunity to investigate the mysterious Order that had created him presented itself, he took it...leaving the clan for some time. He returned during the Knightfall storyline as the Demon Bat possessed Batman was on a rampage through Goth-Ahm prefecture.
- After returning from his time investigating the Order of St. Dumas, Azrael is wearing the first outfit. Once the Battle for the Cowl begins in batman's absence, he alters it to resemble his interpretation of The Shadow of The Bat (2nd outfit). After the feuding commences, and his issues with The System reemerge, he alters it again to resemble his original colors to claim it as his own. The Batman identity is another alter in his fractured mind. After Batman returns, they will make moves to integrate Azrael's identities.


Huntress: Hikari Ryoushi (design merges previous design with Ame Comi Huntress design)

After her father was killed by Kyoushou Morinaga (Hikari's uncle renowned as the assassin, Hitman), he took her under his wing and trained her to be an assassin like himself at her request. She learned very quickly and it was a harsh tutelage. She picked up as much as she could from him, even emulating his signature sunglasses in her outfit. He agreed to allow her to continue her training with The Red Hood as he realized he was growing comfortable with her presence and felt it was making him soft. She reluctantly left and was resentful at the idea of being abandoned by family yet again. She was a dark and solitary kunoichi, even amongst her new team. She was able to open up due to run ins with the Batclan shinobi, the Grey Ghost's squad of shinobi (especially Question, with whom she had a mutual attraction that she denied at first), and her time with the Birds of Prey as well. Most especially due to The Question constantly making her re-evaluate everything she did and knew. Eventually her squad agreed to join the Batclan when membership was offered. After growing comfortable yet again with what she had reluctantly come to view as family, her uncle approached her needing her assistance with a job involving a contract on some demons. Owing him for all he had done for her, she left Goth-Ahm. She returned with her teammate Azrael during the Knightfall storyline as the Demon Bat possessed Batman was on a rampage through Goth-Ahm prefecture.
- After returning from her time with her uncle, Huntress is wearing her normal outfit, except her hair has grown. Once the Battle for the Cowl begins in batman's absence, she alters it to resemble her interpretation of The Shadow of The Bat, which includes a cloak resembling her uncle's. She also has upon her return, a bo staff (which is similar in design to Avatar Aang's second one) which can convert to an oversized crossbow.


Batgirl: Kaitsuiki Gaikokou (design merges previous design with Ame Comi Batgirl design)

Daughter of Royal Guard captain and a member of the Reikon in human form, Kaitsuki had a difficult time after her teammates returned from their banishment by their sensei. Not long after their return, Robin left with the Red Hand organization, and Nightwing went into training with the samurai monks at the Bloodhaven monastery. During their time away, Batgirl 's relationship became strained with The Batman. After the remaining three teammates left on their own respective personal missions, she blames the Batman for the dissolution of the clan she conceived when she first approached him about becoming his pupil. she becomes only focused on whatever current mission she happens to be on and the collection of data for her eventual evolution into a Reikon. Eventually her sensei goes rogue after deciding to merge with the Demon Bat to save its life after the demon hunter, Bane had broken its back. She now felt guilty due to her distance perhaps bein a factor in his decision. Her Teamates, Robin and Nightwing helped her in her most dire time of need. Using her contact with the Oracle of Hi-No-Tama, she realizes that when Batman disappears, that he is no longer on the planet at that time. She informs her clan members and chaos ensues. She dons her own version of The Shadow of The Bat costume, hoping to do a better job as custodian to the clan than she had done before. During the battle for the cowl, she will be joined in the field by Suchiko Nazo, who already temporarily subbed as Robin during Tomi and Daisuke's absence. Her Robin costume will have elements of Ame Comi Robin.
- Merged my previous design's use of the Yvonne Craig color scheme with elements of animated young justice and Ame comi for the new design.


Batman (Robin): Tomi Komodori (design merges latest outfit with Kakashi in Konoha travel cloak)

After his time with the Red Hand as Red Robin, he returned home to Goth-Ahm prefecture just in time to team with his original team, Nightwing and Batgirl to help stop their Sensei's demonic rampage. They stopped him long enough for The Spectre to reveal himself and separate the shinobi-samurai from the Bat. Now with the entire Batclan reformed things were looking up. That is until Batman returned to the Shinobi Graveyard to confront the Spectre about the location of the Demon Bat. The confrontation ended with the Spectre hurtling the Batman through time into a future Goth-Ahm to meet with his successor, Batman Beyond (Knightquest) . With no knowledge of their sensei's location, the clan decides his legacy must live on, but disagree as to which of them should take over. This results in the Battle for the Cowl with each of them trying to be the Shadow of The Bat.
- I used Naruto's 9-Tailed Fox Chakra form to spike his hair to look like bat ears. I kept his new flak jacket look underneath a more clean cut cape than his sensei's. I also gave him the Kakashi style mask as he usually has his face uncovered.


Red Talon:

Formerly Black Talon of the Noble Blackbird Clan, he was traded into the service of The Red Hand in order for the kunoichi, Red Canary to marry the heir Blackhawk. He spent years with the organization. As a result, he lost his allegiance to his former clan, but not his true allegiance. As a member of the secret Society of Owls within the Blackbird Clan, Talon is part of a sect that originally sided against the main branch that chose to ally themselves with the Demon Crane, Onmoraki, and instead sided with the Demon Owl. A small civil war ended with what was thought to be the demise of the Owl's Court, as the surviving members were spared and integrated into the clan. He is usually paired with Red Dart on missions, and the two have a Hidan and Kakuzu-type relationship.
- I used one of the Talon designs from the comic as the basis for this one. There are sleepers within the Blackbird organization waiting for their opportunity for revenge.


Reaper:

A shinobi who sought to gain entrance into the League of Shadows made his way to the annual audition. During it, he killed many of the non-elite shinobi along with the other candidates. Onishusoku, The Demon's Head addressed him, saying that this was not a guild of killers...but of assassins. His entrance would be gained only with the successful assassination of a seemingly impossible target. The target was a high ranking official in the Hidden Regions. He claims to be the heir to the secrets of the Ghostclan, and somehow has techniques that have been used by Grey Ghost, Lady Phantom, and Phantasm. He will try to eliminate Secret, the Spectre's latest apprentice out of jealousy, but will eventually try to have her join him in rebuilding the clan under his leadership. The third member of his new Ghostclan is Spook.
- Both Reaper [link] and Azrael's [link] designs come from unused designs for the characters for The Batman animated series, by DeviantArtist, RM73.
- The official that Reaper targeted to gain entry into the League was, Hinshu Hachioji. After being killed, the being Deadman would only remember that his killer had a hook for a hand. It will take a while before he locates the true culprit.
- Reaper will be revealed as the son of Phantom Lady (Apparition). His father will remain a mystery...for a time.